


Edges

by michaelandthegodsquad



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Gen, Kid Fic, Parent Death, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 07:48:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18774352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/michaelandthegodsquad/pseuds/michaelandthegodsquad
Summary: Aaron deflates, sighing. He’s been trying, but so far all he’s managed is a somewhat centered poof at the crown of Theo’s head. It’s not bad, per se, especially considering he’s had a close cut his whole life and never really had much styling to do. Still...it’s nothing like the beautiful, elaborate styles Theo used to have.OR:Burr learns how to style hair.





	Edges

**Author's Note:**

> Tbh I just thought about Burr hurting himself with [these things](https://i.redd.it/291do98o0n701.jpg) and the rest just sorta happened.

Aaron hits the call button as soon as his phone pings with a text from Theo’s teacher. “Is everything okay?” he asks, already shifting his schedule in his mind so he can leave the office now. If he makes it in an hour earlier for the rest of the week he should be able to make up for it, but—

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you,” Ms. Shippen says down the line. “Theo’s fine, they’re at recess now. We just—another student made a comment about her hair.” Aaron stiffens at his desk, a hint of anger already bubbling until Ms. Shippen continues. “Nothing terrible, just a question about why Theo hasn’t had her usual styles and accessories and all. I stepped in before it went any further, but I’m afraid Theo still took it a bit personally.”

Aaron deflates, sighing. He’s been trying, but so far all he’s managed is a somewhat centered poof at the crown of Theo’s head. It’s not bad, per se, especially considering he’s had a close cut his whole life and never really had much styling to do. Still...it’s nothing like the beautiful, elaborate styles Theo used to have.

“I know Theodosia did Theo’s hair most of the time,” Ms. Shippen says, and Aaron can hear the caution in her voice. “Forgive me if I’m overstepping, but I really think it would help if she—if you could—maybe figure out a way for her to get that back.”

Aaron nods briefly, going numb, before remembering that Ms. Shippen can’t see him. “I understand.” He pauses for a moment, not sure what the right thing to say is. Does he tell her to mind her business? Does he promise to do better? Does he apologize for never taking the time to learn how to style his five-year-old’s hair? Does he admit how much he’s been struggling since Theodosia—

“Thank you, Ms. Shippen,” is what he settles on, and he doesn’t wait for a reply before pulling the phone from his ear and hanging up. He considers taking the rest of the day off anyway, but instead throws himself into his work.

-

The next day finds him and Theo awake half an hour earlier than usual—much to Theo’s annoyance—with her seated on the floor between his feet while he sits on the couch, rat tail comb in his hand as he frowns at the YouTube tutorial playing on his laptop on the coffee table. He thinks he may have missed a step or two, because the parts in Theo’s hair are nowhere near as neat or straight as the ones in the video. Aaron considers starting over, but it’s his third time trying already, he’s pretty sure he just tangles it more every time he begins again, and his fingers are still stinging from the hair bobbles that keep snapping and hitting him.

In the end, he drops her off at school with her usual poof, this time way off-center because he ran out of time to detangle it properly after the mess he made. Aaron tries his best to breathe deeply and ignore the sting in his eyes as he makes his way to work, dropping his face in his hands and wiping at his eyes as soon as his car is parked.

-

Aaron must stand outside of Lafayette’s office for 10 minutes, trying to swallow his pride enough to knock. He can hear him and Laurens laughing at something on the other side, and for a moment he considers waiting until Lafayette is alone to ask.

 _For Theo,_ he reminds himself, and listens to the way the laughter dies down slightly after he raps his knuckles against the wood.

“Come in,” Lafayette says in that lilting way he speaks, and Aaron takes a deep breath before stepping inside.

-

The next afternoon, Alexander walks into Gilbert and John’s office, already halfway through his sentence, when he stops short just past the doorway, for once lost for words. Gilbert, John, and Burr are all standing next to Gilbert’s desk, each with a mannequin head set in front of them. The mannequins all have thick, curly to kinky hair, half of it clipped to the side while Gilbert talks them through some kind of braid.

“ _Mon ami,_ you must do your best to keep the sections equal, or the braid will— _comment dit-on?_ —go sideways? Here, like this,” he says, reaching over to guide Burr’s hands through the process. John watches intently, eyes darting between Gilbert’s hands and his own mannequin.

None of them seem to notice Alexander standing in the doorway, and he backs out slowly, making a note to ask later.

-

Beads. There are beads all over Aaron’s home. The living room floor, between the couch cushions, embedded in the carpet in Theo’s room. He’s fairly sure there are more beads on his floor than in Theo’s hair.

But when she skips into class on Monday, her braids swaying with each step and she smiles and says good morning to Ms. Shippen, Aaron knows the mess is worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> Real quick, I really don't want your opinions/comments about the styles alluded to here if your hair is not similar in texture to the ones described. So please just remember to stay in your lane.


End file.
